Tollywood actresses go international

T-Town actresses take a different shot at stardom with roles in popular soaps in the US

TNN | Updated: Jan 15, 2017, 11.40 AM IST

Tollywood actresses go international

Over the past few years, Telugu and Tamil film industries have been able to attract a few beauty pageant winners and actresses from the US, UK and Canada to act in mana films. Interestingly, as they keep shuttling between their home country and India, some of these actresses have snagged plum roles in big TV shows and they seem to be more than happy to make the switch.

Melanie Kannokada, who was last seen in D for Dopidi, is thrilled these days and why not? She���s going to be part of a brand new show titled The Brink, a dark comedy, starring Jack Black and Tim Robbins. The comedy, which focuses on geopolitical crisis, is about three desperate men who must save the planet from World War III. Melanie, who had shot for the pilot, has been roped in to play a recurring character in the first season. ���It���s too early to talk about my role. All I can say is that I play the role of Fareeda, a sharp witted young woman, whose family hosts Alex (Jack Black), when he comes to Islamabad,��� she reveals. If being part of a big show like this wasn���t a reason to be excited about, we hear that there might even be a romantic sub-plot between Jack Black and her.

She, however, isn���t the first actress from T-Town who has had her brush with TV industry abroad. Years ago, Lakshmi Manchu, did supporting roles and cameos in shows like Las Vegas and Desperate Housewives before she made her debut in Telugu films. In recent times, Amy Jackson, who has been part of films like Yevadu, Madrasipattinam and Ek Deewana Tha, was asked to host a travel show. Last year, Amy shot for a two-week TV show on a cruise around Europe for which she had to visit several cities. Amy says, ���I���ve never presented a show before, but it���s something I���d really like to get into as well, because I love to meet new people and travel the world.���

Pooja Kumar, who shot to fame in India, thanks to Kamal Haasan���s Vishwaroopam, also had a shot at TV fame. Before Vishwaroopam, she had been part of numerous TV shows and made-for-TV movies including Chuck, Bollywood Hero and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Her latest TV show in the US is named Those Who Kill, which is an adaptation of a Danish crime TV series of the same name.

Prior to her debut in the Adivi Sesh starrer KISS, Priya Banerjee hosted a popular Bollywood TV show in Canada for almost a year. ���When I was running for Miss World Canada 2011, I was invited on the show to promote myself. After the shoot was done the producers asked me if I would be interested in hosting the show. I have always loved showbiz and it seemed like a pretty exciting offer to me,��� she says. While she confesses that she doesn���t want to do TV in Canada; however, TV shows in India and the US seem to be an exception for her. ���The lure of getting good roles in the TV industry in the US is too tempting for most of the actors these days. It has a huge target audience and of late, some of the best writing is being done for TV. If I get a chance, I wouldn���t mind taking up the offer,��� she says.

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